Birth Announcements: July/August 2014

Juliet Glass -
July/August 2014

NEW YORK CITY
Jesse Schenker, chef/owner of West Village hot spot Recette, nabbed some spacious Flatiron District digs (15 West 18th Street) for his second restaurant, The Gander. The casual American menu is supported by a deep wine list (the work of wine and restaurant director Rick Pitcher, formerly of Gotham Bar and Grill). Pastry chef Christina Lee is a Per Se alum. Apps ($12 to $17): chilled pea soup with ramps, oysters, and borage; crispy calamari with snap peas, grapes, cashews, and ranch dressing. Mains ($20 to $40): beet tortelli with goat’s milk yogurt, coconut, and almonds; suckling pig with vegetable barigoule and charred salsa verde. Desserts ($7 to $10): crème brûlée semifreddo with anise/milk chocolate, walnuts, bacon, and whiskey; chocolate mousse with chiles, cocoa nibs, prunes, and hazelnuts.

CLEVELAND
The Denver-based Sage Restaurant Group spawned a second branch of its Urban Farmer Steakhouse (the first is in Portland, Oregon) in May in the Westin Cleveland Downtown hotel. The Cleveland iteration is tailored to the local community, both in its sourcing and the 255 seat interior. Leading the culinary team are Urban Farmer director of culinary operations Matt Christianson and executive chef Brad Cecchi (who decamped from Sacramento’s Grange Restaurant & Bar). Apps ($10 to $17): spring onion soup with fiddleheads, morels, and purple potatoes; soft shell crab with hearts of palm, snap peas, mint, and sofrito aïoli. Mains ($27 to $80): Great Lakes walleye with parsley root puree, peas, and black garlic; a New York steak tasting from three Midwestern ranches. Desserts ($6 to $10): devil’s food whoopie pie with fudge; butterscotch sundae.

SAN DIEGO
Chef Jason McLeod, best known for his Michelin-starred cooking at Chicago’s RIA, partnered with the San Diego–based CH Projects (known for its trendy watering holes Polite Provisions and Craft & Commence, among others) for the April launch of Ironside Fish & Oyster (1654 India Street). The seafood-centric theme is fully integrated into the 205 seater’s playful design by Basile Studio. Along with the requisite raw bar, there’s a wall adorned with hundreds of faux piranha skulls and a five-foot lobster tank. The kitchen team includes Jose “JoJo” Ruiz (late of Tower23 Hotel), Donna Antaloczy (whose bicoastal experience includes time at Manresa in Los Gatos, CA, and Eleven Madison Park in NYC). Apps ($14 to $16): octopus a la plancha with chorizo and olives; bay scallops with mushrooms and fava beans. Mains ($11 to $34): fish and chips with grilled lemon, tartar sauce, and malt vinegar; beer-braised mussels with andouille sausage and toasted baguette. Desserts ($7): almond panna cotta with mango, apples, and pineapple; chocolate s’mores cake with marshmallows, sesame cake, and chocolate.